Lol I feel like I’m the only one giddy and excited over Episode Nagi ending. Doesn’t this just mean we’re building up to Nagi gaining an even bigger role in the main series? Second protag and all?
I’ve been meaning to rant about this here but I’ve never gotten over how different Nagi is during second selection in bllk and epinagi, it gave me whiplash and all. I was sooo sure some sort of retcon and intentional reframing happened and recent events are just convincing me I was right.
Like during bllk's second selection, Nagi was all about being creative and unpredictable, taking the initiative to chase after his curiosity about soccer and all. This was when he first invented his volley shot to defeat Rin (but it was reframed to something Reo-related), made plays on his own (triangle formation but again reframed to something Reo-related), wanted to be a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit within Isagi and Rin’s vision, invented traps that “breathe life into the ball” or “black hole trap" kill it. Reo was literally NTR-ed by soccer/Isagi then with Nagi saying things like “sorry Reo, I can’t go back to who I was before I knew that soccer is so much fun”...
But in epinagi? All these were retconned and Nagi suddenly became too Reo-centric which isn't bad on it own, but its bad cuz it’s soooo different from the original it created a lot of dissonance in me for Nagi's character. Like it gave a completely different impression of the events from bllk! The shippers like it cuz they think it was pandering to them but I always thought how can you claim to like Nagi when you're okay with 2nd selection Nagi being overwritten like that? When that was the best Nagi!!
But now, I'm pretty convinced the retcon happened cuz knsr wanted to double down on the Reonagi relationship to legitimize Nagi's codependency and subsequent downfall. The timing was too coincidental since epinagi started right after NEL so I'm thinking the narrative change happened then. And when Nagi started spiraling into “reoreoreo”? That’s when it clicked that “aaaa so that’s why epinagi was written the way it was”. Him reflecting how he (and Choki) didn't change in 301 further cemented this too cuz from bllk's second selection alone, its clear he did change!!
Maybe the spin off was half pandering to shippers, but I also think its purpose was to reframe second selection to bring about Nagi's downfall, because no way would it have been believable going by just what was written in bllk alone. (Also this why I say he enjoys trolling shippers lol)
I’m thinking knsr probably decided only then how he wanted to do Nagi’s downfall because if this was his intention from the start he shouldn't have written Nagi the way he did in the first place! The impression gotten from bllk's version is really too different from epinagi's! Its the entire reframing of second selection and the whiplash and dissonance for me making it seem retcon-ish, it doesn’t come across natural in a “I’m giving Nagi more depth” in the spin off at all.
This is why, as someone who has read multiple previous works of knsr, I keep saying he’s an author who will brute force his way through a narrative change if he decides to take the story in a new direction. It ends up making his story less immersive though cuz I end up reading HIS intentions rather than purely enjoying the story.
But despite all these criticisms, in the end I personally don’t mind this “retcon” as much purely because I’m fully onboard this “Nagi death” train. Knsr really was cooking this entire arc with all his parallels with Isagi, parallels between the 2 series, the death flags and foreshadowing especially from Chris (literally spelled out what’s gonna happen with Nagi), and the deeper dive into Nagi’s psyche. I love this entire Nagi downfall arc and don’t get the fandom’s sentiments that "Nagi fans keep getting Ls" or whatever. Like, there’s so much love and effort dedicated to writing his arc wdym we’re getting Ls?? I’ve been living as a Nagi stan ever since this arc started!
Yet, there’ll always be a part of me that thinks it’s such a waste that bllk’s second selection Nagi was overwritten with epinagi’s, cuz I really really love that Nagi, that was when I first became his stan.
And now that we know epinagi is ending, it just further convinces me this retcon did exist because why else would it end right after the Reonagi duo separated and Nagi got locked off? It just shows the spin off has served its purpose to hammer in the codependency in a manner that can explain Nagi's lock off. I mean look at bllk 300, it included scenes that only ever happened in epinagi lol.
The recent epinagi chaps also seem to include heavy parallels to what’s currently happening in bllk, everything just points to this spin off existing for Nagi’s "death". So now that it’s ending, I’ve a feeling we’ll be getting another narrative change which I’m hoping it’s in my favor. Hopefully it’s finally time for soccer and individual development again just like during bllk S1. No more teenage melodrama please!!! 302 seems like its heading towards this direction too so I'm hopeful.
As for the remaining epinagi chaps, its interesting the final epinagi volume will be released on Reo’s birthday, plus maybe a Reo cover? Does point to them being independent doesn't it? Good. Also, this is why I said knsr pays attention to release dates a lot, like how pxg vs bm ended right before “To you who’ll die someday” and all their in between series' parallels. It’s funny how there’s a shift in focus to Reo in both series too, with him in both series being all about trying to be independent again. Considering how knsr loves linking up both series, I'm curious if and how will it align with main series’ Reo's development?
The ultimate goal of epinagi is still to explore Nagi's journey to find a fire he has never felt before right? I’m so curious what conclusions will be made by the end of it, or maybe it’ll just be hinted at? Since knsr probably wants to explore Nagi more in the main series again. Currently, what we know is Blue Lock (and Isagi) really fired him up and he was scared of it ending...... And now that it ended.... what now...? All I know is I'm excited knsr seems to have more he wants to explore with Nagi!! Pls just keep showering him with lots of love even if that ends up with him crying and dying!! 😭
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